Folding bedstead



(No Model.) I v I T i. LA PURL.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD. No. 485,502. Patented Nov. 1, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

TRAFFLEY LA PURL, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING BE'DSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.485,502, dated November 1, 1892.

Application filed May 17, 1892. Serial No. 433,375. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TRAFFLEY LA PURL, of Medford, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Folding Bedsteads, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanected to the bed-frame, are each provided with a curved brace rod or bar, and a guideway is provided for said brace-rod, which is herein represented as made of metal and secured to the bed-frame, and is adapted to receive said brace rod or bar when the leg is folded upon or against the bed-frame. A gravitating dog is contained in a suitable raceway made to receive it, formed on or secured to the bed-frame, which when the bed-frame is in its vertical position retreats by gravity to the remote end of said raceway and permits the leg to turn on its pivot by gravity and fold upon or against the frame, the bracerod also retreating in its guideway by gravity; but when said bed-frame is lowered or brought into horizontal position foruse the leg swings out by gravity and said dog advances to the opposite end of its raceway by gravity and passes over the end of or engages the brace rod or bar to thereby securely hold it and the leg to which it is attached.

Figure 1 shows in side View a locking device for the foldingleg of the folding bed embodying this invention, one of the legs and a portion only of the bed-frame being 'repre sented, the latter in horizontal position; Fig. 2,a view of the same parts, the bed-frame being represented in vertical position.

Referring to the drawings, arepresents one of the side rails, or it may be one of the end rails, of the bed-frame, and b one of the legs hinged thereto. A curved brace rod 0 is formed with a head or enlargement c at one end, which is fit-ted into a socket made in the leg I), and a plate 0 having a hole through it of suitable size and shape to receive said brace-rod c, is secured to said leg b, so that the head or enlargement on said brace-rod is brought to bear against said plate or is held by said plate in its socket. This mode of attaching the brace-rod to the legis simple and efiective, yet it is obvious that said brace-rod may be otherwise attached. A curved guideway 01 is provided for said brace-rod. which is herein represented as formed in a metallic frame d, which may be cast or otherwise constructed. The metallic frame dis secured to the bed-frame by screws or otherwise. The said metallic frame (1 also has formed integral with it and at an angle with relation to the guideway d a raceway (1 which contains a dog d movable to and fro in said raceway by gravity, according to the position of the bed-frame, as will be described.

The raceway d communicates with the guideway d, so that the end of the dog 01 may enter the guideway at or near its lower end and pass over the end of the brace-rod 0 when the bed-frame is in its horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1; but when the bedframe is in its vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, the said dog will have retreated to the remote end of said. raceway d disengaging the brace-rod 0, thereby permitting it to move in the guideway d unobstructed so far as to permit the leg b to fold upon or against the frame. It will be seen that when the bedframe is lowered into its horizontal position the leg I) will assume the position shown in Fig. l by gravity and the dog 61 will slide down the raceway d and pass over the end of the brace-rod 0, thereby looking it and the leg to which it is attached rigidly, and when said frame is raised into its vertical position the dog 61 retreats by gravity and the leg b turns on its pivot by gravity and folds against the frame, the brace-rod moving in its guideway. The gravitating dog 01 thereby serves as a locking device for the brace-rod and leg to which it is attached.

The parts employed are few, and, as no accurate fitting is necessary, castings may be employed.

By forming the guideway d for the bracerod 0 on the inside or interior of a frame a free and unobstructed passage is always protoo vided for said brace-rod, which might not be the case were said guideway uncovered or exposed.

I claim 1. The part a, movable into a horizontal or vertical position, the leg I), hinged thereto, curved brace rod 0, connected to said leg, curved guideway (Z' for said brace-rod c, the raceway d arranged at an angle with relation to the guideway d,and the dog (1 contained in the said raceway, which serves as a looking device for the brace-rod c, said leg I), bracerod 0, and dog (1 all being movable in either direction by gravity according as the part a is raised or lowered, substantially as described.

2. A part a, movable into a horizontal or vertical position, the leg I), hinged thereto, curved brace-rod 0, having a head or enlargement 0 at one end, which enters a socket in the leg, plate 0 secured to said leg and inclosing said enlarged end of the brace-rod, curved guideway cl 'for said brace-rod c, and a raceway d arranged at an angle with relation to the guidewayd', and dog d contained in said raceway and serving as a locking device for said brace-rod,said leg I), brace-rod c, and dog (1 all being movable in either direction by gravity according as the part a is raised or lowered, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

TRAFFLEY LA PURL.

mark

'Witnesses:

BERNICE .I. Novas, FRED LA PURL. 

